Daily Devotional | Knowing God

Pastor A. W. Tozer wrote, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” This is a profoundly true statement. What we believe about God changes the way we think about ourselves, others, and the world we live in. Just like our relationship with other people, our knowledge of God is not a static thing. It grows as we get to know Him better.

We conclude our study of images of God in the New Testament, with Ephesians 1. Here Paul prays for the church. His deepest desire is that we “may know him better” (v. 17). Paul understands that our first calling is to remain in fellowship with God (1 Cor. 1:8). God is unlike anyone else. He created the universe and stands outside of it. The only way we can know God is because He has made Himself known to us. He is revealed through His Word and ultimately through the Lord Jesus. Paul prays that we would learn about God through the enabling power of the Holy Spirit (vv. 17–18).

God provides many pictures in Scripture to help us understand His character and attributes better. We looked at how God is like different aspects of the created world—light, water, fire, and shield. We considered passages where God is compared to animals—a lion, eagle, or bear. We examined different human occupations that illustrate aspects of God’s character—shepherd, king, warrior, judge, and farmer, to name just a few. Finally, we looked at the most intimate pictures of God as a parent and husband.